Pickle Brined Chicken Wings
These pickle brined chicken wings come out juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and packed with flavor in every bite. Using pickle juice as a quick chicken wings brine, this method keeps things simple while delivering bold, tangy results perfect for the grill, oven, or air fryer.
Equipment
- Grill, smoker, oven, or air fryer
- Wire rack & baking sheet
- tongs
- Meat Thermometer
- prep bowls
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. chicken wings flats & drumettes
- 1 C pickle juice plus more as needed
- Favorite BBQ rub to taste
Instructions
- Place the wings in a bowl and add the pickle juice until fully submerged. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours based on how much time you can spare.
- When you’re ready to cook, take the wings out and place them on a wire rack. Pat them dry, then season them until fully covered.
- Set the grill ~300-325 degrees. Once the grill is preheated, add the wings directly over the heat source and cook for ~30 minutes, flipping as needed until they develop a nice golden-brown color and the skin is crispy (I also check the internal temperature, which typically ranges from 177-185 degrees for wings). Once this occurs, remove the wings from the grill. Serve with your sides of choice and enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t skip drying the wings: After brining, pat the wings completely dry. This is one of the keys to achieving crispy skin rather than a rubbery texture.
- Brine time matters: 30 minutes yields a lighter flavor, while 1–2 hours yields a deeper, more noticeable brined chicken flavor. Avoid going too long or the texture can get soft.
- Works with any method: This brined chicken wings recipe works on the grill, smoker, oven, or air fryer—just adjust cook time and temp.